The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

worth of common sense knowledge they bring into theclassroom, but also acknowledges the importance offreedom and flexibility to develop and grow. These seemto be not only the cornerstones of cognitive and creativedevelopment but also part of what is meant by education.'(Downey and Kelly, 1979, p78)And it is with education that we are concerned here.44 Summary Let us reiterate our basic premises. There are various kindsof thinking and various kinds of intelligence. None of themhas a prior or self-evident right to dominate the others inthe school curriculum. There is more than one mode ofthought and action. Accordingly, there is more than onemode of creative thought, work and productivity and thereare no grounds for the elevation of, for example, the sciencesover the arts either in the policies or planning of the schoolcurriculum. The development of creativity needs a soundbase in knowledge and skill but also teaching methods whichare flexible and open-ended so that it can emerge and flourish.Pupils must be encouraged to test out ideas which are novel,unusual, even eccentric and iconoclastic. Creative work isnot merely a question of playing with things, of randomnessand chance. It has much to do with serious and sustainedeffort, often at the highest levels of absorption and intensity.This involves respect for standards and aiming purposefully,often at great expense of time and effort, at producing workof high quality. We regard these efforts of discipline, knowledgeand initiative as of fundamental importance on theroad to achieving the autonomy and maturity of adulthood.In the next chapter we relate these arguments to the needfor the arts within cultural education.35